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60th out of 199 books
—
478 voters
Deadly Unna?
Fourteen-year-old Gary Black's life in Australia centers around his large family and footy (Australian football), until he becomes friends with an Aborigine boy and realizes how horrible prejudice can be.
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
by Penguin Books
(first published March 25th 2013)
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This book had a interesting plot to it. It is about this remote community in northern South Australia. The community has a Footy team called the Port footy team. The two main characters in this book are two boys called Dumby Red and Blacky. This footy team brings two communities together. The Aboriginal community and the (as they call it) white community. The footy team are in the grand final, which they haven't been apart of for 40 years. Will they win? But there is drama after the final. Somet...more
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I liked this book, much more than I thought I would. Its themes, about racism and about family, were handled with unexpected subtlety. With minor spoilers, an aboriginal boy dies. In a more preaching book, the entire town would be remorseful and there would be a great reconcilliation. In this book, only one white person goes to his funeral, against many recommendations not to. I *like* that. Racism is not simple, and it's not cured in a massive sweeping style. Coming to accept others as equal ha...more
I have seen this book around for some time, never intending to buy it. I knew about its context, I knew about it's "book of the year" award, but it's the cover that catches my eye everytime. That smile - a full-on, joyous smile - tells that there is more to this story than meets the eye. And there was.
Seeing everything from a white Australian boy's perspective - the racial discrimination, the friendship that in those days (and occasionally today) is turned against - gives the reader a clear und...more
Seeing everything from a white Australian boy's perspective - the racial discrimination, the friendship that in those days (and occasionally today) is turned against - gives the reader a clear und...more
Take note, this is what happens when you rush writing a book before you have a good or even a coheirent storyline.
There are 2 halves to this book, the first is about a football group in the state championship. The second is about the grief of Blacky - the main character - loosing a friend(I will not reveal names, hence no spoiler).
The one thing I really hated is that Phillip Gwynne isn't necessarily lacking in a premise, he just needs a better execution. If I were editing this book I would get r...more
There are 2 halves to this book, the first is about a football group in the state championship. The second is about the grief of Blacky - the main character - loosing a friend(I will not reveal names, hence no spoiler).
The one thing I really hated is that Phillip Gwynne isn't necessarily lacking in a premise, he just needs a better execution. If I were editing this book I would get r...more
This book just moved too slowly for me. Also contrary to the description on the back of the book, this book did not talk much about the friendship between Dumby Red and Blacky. It talked more about the racial tensions between Aboriginals and white Australians, which is fine. I just had a hard time understanding the friendship between Blacky and Dumby Red, since it wasn't touched upon that much (they were odd friends). This is one of those books where it's hard for me to put a finger on why I did...more
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This book was given to me in Grade 11 English. It seems here Phillip Gwynne doesn't know how to center his plot on something. The first half of thew book is centered around some football grand final. The second? Racism or teenage love? It tries to be both but neither really connect to each other. Aside from the main character there is no connection. I will not read the sequel Nukkin' Ya because this failed to interest me at all, I suggest you pick up the movie adaptation Australian Rules - while...more
Am teaching this novel to my year 12 English Studies class. The class has a few indigenous students, which has made for some interesting discussions. Be warned, there is a lot of swearing in this book, so while the protagonist is only 14, there is no way I'd try and teach it to a class any younger than year 10 (even the 19 year olds in my y12 class would snigger whenever I read a passage with a 'rude' word in it).
However, I think it's a great insight into the racism that still does go on today,...more
However, I think it's a great insight into the racism that still does go on today,...more
Well, let me start by saying that i read this book for school. It's funny, because all the reviews i have read for this book, say that it was read because of school. I read it as a year nine. and because of certain events the school curriculum for Australia has banned this book. So i might be the last person to write a review on it. But, who knows? Someone might just pick up this book and read it again....
This book was okay. If it wasn't for school-i might have never read it. The ending was a bi...more
This book was okay. If it wasn't for school-i might have never read it. The ending was a bi...more
Urgh. I know that this is supposed to be a great book, but I did not find anything to interest me in it. The prejudice was really irksome, and no earth-shattering insights came about. The plot was alright (hence the two stars) but moved too slowly, and there was no great character relationships to back it up. The relationship between Dumby Red and Blacky seemed flimsy and contrived, although the author did manage to develop the character of Blacky quite well. Unfortunately, however, most of the...more
I read this for my year 10 English class at school, I was fascinated by this book as it gave good insight into a life I have never, nor will ever know, that of an indigenous Australian teenager and also a corresponding view into the life of the new white kid in a majority aboriginal community. It tells the story of the two boys friendships, both of their less than desirable home lives as well as the angst and lust that comes with teenage romance. The boys both have to conquer the pressures of al...more
Much less centred on the Dumby/Gary relationship than I'd expected, having seen only the trailer for the film; still, a vibrant if somewhat stereotypical representation of small-town Strine. Gwynne's style at times seems less subtle/light-handed than it could be (probably down to the lens of Gary's voice) but it masks a real deftness in drawing his characters.
Fourteen year-old Blacky lives in the South Australian Outback, together with his big family. He has seven siblings and he is the second oldest. His father is an alcoholic and his mother is a tactical genius when it comes to football. Blacky is the first ruck on his football team, and faces great challenges both on and off the football oval. The book is mainly about being fourteen and learning about responsibility, friendship, and even love…
I liked this book because I could relate to it, also be...more
I liked this book because I could relate to it, also be...more
I read this book when i was in year 8 (10 years ago) and i still think it was great. An honest book that talks about the racial tension in rural australia but also a sweet story in the narrow minded views that are overcome by two teenage boys. I think this novel is what the movie "Australia rules' was based on.
Favorite book that high school got me to read. I absolutely loved it! and I still have the book!
I loved Dumby Red and was proud of Blacky. Its about Footy, love, loss, friendship, racism, courage.
would defiantly recommend people to read!
i have watched the movie a few times though its not as good!
I loved Dumby Red and was proud of Blacky. Its about Footy, love, loss, friendship, racism, courage.
would defiantly recommend people to read!
i have watched the movie a few times though its not as good!
I'm finally getting to the bottom of my class reading list and so was quite eager to move this one into the 'done' pile. I can't say that I particularly liked Deadly, Unna? however there was certainly a lot in it that could be used in a classroom and, seeing as that was the point of reading it in the first place, I suppose it was all well in the end.
Blacky's voice was quite strong as he dealt with the issues of racial difference in his town as well as the difficulties faced by his own large fami...more
Blacky's voice was quite strong as he dealt with the issues of racial difference in his town as well as the difficulties faced by his own large fami...more
If you're not from Australia you'll probably have a hard time identifying with the stereotypes and characters presented in the book, but it's still worth reading because human nature is still there.
A really good fictional look at what life is like for both the indigenous people and non-native Australians in a small rural town. At first glance, you can read the text as a story about a young teenage boy, avid about football and trying to figure out who he is, and wanting to forge friendships that...more
A really good fictional look at what life is like for both the indigenous people and non-native Australians in a small rural town. At first glance, you can read the text as a story about a young teenage boy, avid about football and trying to figure out who he is, and wanting to forge friendships that...more
Some parts were funny but it jumped around a bit and skipped months.
Would be better for boys rather than girls. God bless my all girls school who made us read this.
Would be better for boys rather than girls. God bless my all girls school who made us read this.
May 26, 2008
Cynthia
added it
Deadly Unna is realistic fiction. Deadly Unna is set in Australia, Point and Port. It is about two teen boys, Blacky, and Dumby Red who meet during a football practice. At the beginning Blacky doesn’t like Dumby Red too much but one day Dumby Red helps Blacky when Mad Dog is betting him up and that day they became friends. Even though these two boys have practically nothing in common. Through many people in Port (Blacky’s city) have a problem with them being friends. Is the discrimination from b...more
this book was very enlighting, however i was not able to read it due to how fucking confusing this shit is...thank you for your time
I read this book and at the start, I was really excited but I was disappointed with the end because the plot didn't seem to be a plot.
well i think it;s outdated now
australians don't have anywhere near as much conflict
with aboriginals anymore
australians don't have anywhere near as much conflict
with aboriginals anymore
Its was a good book not something that interests me as such but all in all a pretty good book :)
i read this is like year 8 maybe. and i didn't like it until after the football grand final (:
A year 9 English book. It was ok, but I wasn't a fan all that much, not the type of book I like.
Read my 1998 review at:
http://www.misrule.com.au/deadlyunna....
http://www.misrule.com.au/deadlyunna....
Had to read as part of education.
The concept is strong
The concept is strong
This was a great book! Loved it
It's wasn't too bad for a school book...
I read this for school. It was okay..... I'm in Year nine and there was a bit much swearing for me and i wasn't too happy with the storyline. Although this is based on a TRUE story, and we can't change fate.
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Phillip Gwynne's first novel Deadly Unna? the literary hit of 1998, has now sold over 180,000 copies. It was made into the feature film Australian Rules for which Phillip won an AFI award. The sequel, Nukkin Ya, was published to great acclaim in 2000. He has also written The Worst Team Ever, Born to Bake, and A Chook Called Harry in the Aussie Bites series, and Jetty Rats. Phillip's latest novel,...more
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